Print engine speed compensation

Abstract

A method of synchronizing the timing of a plurality of physically coupled print engines wherein the receiving sheet is inverted between a first and a second print engine including determining any change in the speed of the master print engine relative to the speed at original set up and adjusting the timing parameters within the slave print engines based on the speed of the master engine.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application relates to commonly assigned, copending U.S. application Ser. No. 12 / 468,286, filed May 19, 2009, entitled: “DUAL ENGINE SYNCHRONIZATION”, U.S. application Ser. No. 12 / 468,304 filed May 19, 2009, entitled: “SCALING IMAGE IN A DUAL ENGINE SYSTEM”, and U.S. application Ser. No. 12 / 468,315, filed May 19, 2009, entitled: “SCALING IMAGES USING MATCHED COMPONENTS IN A DUAL ENGINE SYSTEM”, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates to a process of synchronizing a plurality of coupled digital print engines while running that corrects for speed variations.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]In typical commercial reproduction apparatus (electrographic copier / duplicators, printers, or the like), a latent image charge pattern is formed on a primary imaging member (PIM) such as a photoreceptor used in an electrophotographic printing apparatus. While the late...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This approach allows for faster and more accurate synchronization of print engines, reducing the likelihood of receiver buckling and creasing, and maintaining consistent image quality and productivity by ensuring precise timing adjustments, even with varying receiver sizes and engine speeds.

Problems solved by technology

However, the doubling of throughput speed is mainly unachievable without a) purchasing a second reproduction apparatus with throughput identical to the first so that the two machines may be run in parallel, or without b) replacing the first reproduction apparatus with a radically redesigned print engine having double the speed.

Both options are very expensive and often with regard to option (b), not possible.

Unfortunately, such a system tends to be susceptible to increasing registration errors during each successive image frame during the photoreceptor revolution.

Furthermore, given the large inertia of the high-speed rotating polygon assembly, it is difficult to make significant adjustments to the speed of the polygon assembly in the relatively short time frame of a single photoreceptor revolution.

This can limit the response of the '856 system on a per revolution basis, and make it even more difficult, if not impossible, to adjust on a more frequent basis.

However, this would significantly reduce productivity.

The quality of images produced on different print engines can be found to be objectionable if produced on different print engines even if the print engines are nominally the same, e.g. the same model produced by the same manufacturer.

Specifically, the reflection density and the contrast of the prints need to closely match or the prints will be found to be objectionable to a customer.

Images